“Yes, I believe I did,” sighed Gordon, accepting the paper and taking the pen from Lanny. “And just to prove that a Merrick is as good as his word and a little better I’ll put my name down here for――for a dollar and――let me see; if one ice-cream soda costs ten cents, two ice-cream sodas would cost twenty cents. Wouldn’t they, Lanny?” “What on earth are you talking about?” asked Louise. “There; one dollar and twenty cents,” said Gordon, writing. “I’ll take cash for those sodas, Lanny.” “What sodas? Somebody feel his head, please!” “Don’t you worry about my head, old chap. All you have to do is fork over twenty cents.” “What’s it for? Do I owe you twenty cents?” “You owe me two sodas, Lanny, or, to be exact, you owe me one soda and yourself one soda. Being a philanthropist I donate the price of the sodas to this worthy cause.” “Do you mean that I bet the sodas with you?” “Ex-act-ly! You bet me we wouldn’t have a football coach within a week and I bet you we would. And we did. Twenty cents, please!” “Thunder! So I did!” laughed Lanny, fumbling in his pocket. “But, hold on! Are you sure we got him within the week?” “Positive,” declared Gordon with conviction. “We made the wager the night of the last meeting of this committee, which was a Tuesday. We secured our present capable coach at about nine-forty-five the following Monday evening. Anything more to say?” “No, here’s your old twenty cents. Only it’s a quarter. Got a nickel?” “I may have,” replied Gordon untroubledly, “but I don’t intend to look. I’ll just change that twenty cents to twenty-five and so save trouble. There we are! And here’s the cash, Louise. Put your little cross opposite my name, please.” After that Morris insisted on giving another dollar and Nell fifty cents. “I haven’t the slightest idea where I’ll get it,” declared the latter tragically. “I’ll just have to do something and make some money. Perhaps I’ll sell matches on the street corner! Or――or have a lemonade stand in the front yard!” “If you do please see that the lemonade is hot,” said Lanny. “Cold lemonade in this weather wouldn’t go very fast.” “Then,” said Louise, rising, “I suppose you don’t want any, Lanny. Never mind, I dare say the rest of us can drink it.” “Oh, well,” replied Lanny carelessly, “if you have it all made―― Rather than seem unappreciative, you know――――” CHAPTER IX LANNY EXPLAINS